The Excellence Center Reviews

My name is Irene and I am a 22 years old Spanish student with a BA in International Relations. I have been volunteering at the Excellence Center as an English teacher in Hebron twice. I spent two months at the center last summer 2017 and I decided to come back in 2018 for month and half so, of course, I can say I am one of those who absolutely enjoy their time in Palestine!

Volunteering at the Excellence Center is mainly focused on English teaching. Therefore, during the volunteer program I have primarily participated in teaching to beginner and intermediate groups of Palestinian students, both in Hebron's city center and in nearby villages, with whom the Excellence Center builds local development projects and partnerships. Usually the role I take when teaching in the city center is that of an Assistant Teacher, mostly helping with specific conversational activities and oral examinations. However, teaching in villages implies a greater deal of leading role as a teacher, what includes planning and structuring the learning objectives and content of the courses. Students are all engaged with the language and is a pleasure to share time with them during our lessons.

Learning Palestinian Arabic Dialect is a second component of the volunteering programs at The Excellence Center. In this sense, I must say that I began to learn Arabic the first time that I came here and that, just in year, my Arabic has improved enormously, now being able to read, write and talk at a beginner level; for which I enormously thank the work of Arabic teachers at The Excellence Center. Accordingly, I have received private Arabic lessons 3 hours per week. The teaching during the lessons is really practical and you will be able to learn useful vocabulary for daily conversational skills based on your previous knowledge of the language, interests and goals.

The Center's atmosphere is exceptional. I have been able to build strong bonds with both staff and teachers, they will support you with any question you might have and so will also make your experience in Hebron feel like home, as you will get to spend time together during breakfast and special dinners.

At the same time, the Excellence Center also gives you the opportunity to meet other international volunteers and Arabic students, among whom you will get to meet lots of interesting people from very diverse backgrounds and a shared interest for Palestine and the Middle Eastern region! During the program you will also have the time to travel to Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Jericho or the Dead Sea; and making these trips together with volunteering certainly adds joy to the experience!

Hebron is, like the rest of Palestine, a very friendly, safe and welcoming place to be volunteering and learning Arabic. The host families make the stay really pleasant and will help you improve your Arabic conversational skills by spending some time together. In sum, I thoroughly recommend to come visit and consider the Excellence Center's programs!

I spent 1 month studying intensive Arabic in Palestine. When I started I was a complete beginner, but thanks to fantastic teaching I am now comprehensive in Arabic, after just one month. I stayed in a Palestinian host family which was a brilliant experience as not only was I studying Arabic in the day, but I was also able to speak Arabic in the evening with my family, therefore. Further, my host family were so welcoming and taught me a lot about Palestinian life and culture. Before coming to Palestine, I was slightly worried about safety and travelling, but Palestinians are extremely welcoming and friendly, I have never felt unsafe being here. Thank you to all the wonderful people I have met at the centre, you have made my experience unforgettable and I hope to return to Palestine again soon!

My name is Lizi. I am from England and am currently studying a Master Degree in Sustainable Development and Disaster Management in Newcastle. I have been at The Excellence Centre for 1 month and have completed the internship program.

During my time at the center, I have been living with a host family in a village called Bait Ommar. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the family and will be keeping in contact with them after I leave Palestine. Staying with a host family really allowed me to get a deeper insight into the Palestinian culture, as well as helping me gain some life long friends. The family showed me things I would never have seen without them, such as local weddings, less travelled locations and family traditions. They were warm, welcoming, generous, hospitable and lovely people. The village itself was beautiful too and have a pleasant contrast to the busier city life of Hebron.

My first week at the center consisted of 5 one to one Arabic classes with my teacher Abraham, which each lasted around 3 hours. These classes were enjoyable and informative. I found Abraham was a good teacher and very easy to get along with. He also gave me the opportunity to steer the lessons into whichever areas were of main interest to me which was great. For example, I wanted to focus on conversational/spoken Arabic more so than writing and reading, so most of the lessons were arranged and personalised around this.

The second week during the internship was my favourite week. During this week, Abrahim (a different Abrahim!) guided and arranged several tours around hebron. We visited Hebron Old City, Rumeida and Shuhada Street, Al-ibrahimi Mosque, Alfawar refugee camp and The Chamber of Commerce. As I was the only one on the internship, the tours were just for him and myself, however we invited the other volunteers and each trip we had a relatively large group accompanying us. Abrahim was a great guide during the trips. He made them very educational and answered any questions we had for him as well as telling us some of his own personal experiences and opinions. It was both sad and shocking to hear the things he has seen, and to hear a monologue from someone who has lived through the stages of this conflict has been invaluable.

I did visit several places independently from the centre also. For example, my host family took me to Bethlehem, Jericho, The Dead Sea, Ramallah and Neblus. Also, alone, I visited Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. I had always thought of England as a small country and so it was amazing for me to see just how small Palestine is. The short distances made it easy to travel and I am grateful to the centre and my host family, as in a short time I have been able to see a majority of the beautiful major cities, each with its own unique qualities (for example, nablus is the leader for Knaffa!)

The third week of my internship began with a presentation given by Abraham in teaching techniques with the purpose of preparing me for my final week of teaching. This was very useful and educational. The following day, I was asked to make a presentation of my own stating some ideas I had for future lesson plans. This was challenging as I am not a natural public speaker however the staff were very supportive and warmly welcomed my ideas.

For my final week, I assisted Abraham in teaching his class. The class were at beginner level, so Abrahim would explain the content to them, and I would then write and speak the answers in English. The class were very eager to learn and very grateful and receptive to both their native and international teachers. I found that their attitudes to learning were much more positive than the average UK student and it was a pleasure to work with them in my final week. One of the highlights with this class was the food day! Each student would bring in a delicious dish, give a presentation in English of how they made it, and then everybody would be welcomed to join and share the food together. It was a lovely atmosphere.

Finally, I will end on a point I feel is very important. Did I feel safe in Palestine? I will admit that before leaving, I was nervous to enter the Palestinian territories. I had never met any Palestinians, and most of my knowledge of the place at present was coming from the media. This is the same for most people in Europe, and so I also had friends and family warning me to be careful and even begging me not to go! I can now say in all honestly that I have never felt safer in a country as I have in Palestine. Palestinians are good people. They take pride in their culture, community and generosity. They are always looking to help internationals or if you do not need help, they will want to invite you in for tea and food regardless! I love this country and its people, and I think it's so important that people know the real Palestine, and not the one portrayed in the eyes of the western media.

On leaving Palestine, I wish to go home and complete my studies to hopefully go on to work as an NGO specializing in refugee crisises. I would recommend the excellence center to anyone. I have learnt so much here, and met so many amazing people. I will always keep the Palestinians in my heart after I have left, and will make sure to spread the word of their good nature in my home country. All I can hope is that I will be able to return to this amazing country again some day.

My name is Sophia and I am a BA student from the University of Saint Andrews studying International Relations. Therefore, it was extremely important to me not just to understand Palestine from the perspective of a textbook, but to experience the language, politics and culture for myself. In the Excellence Centre I chose to participate in the Intensive Arabic course for the whole month of August 2018.
During my time at the Excellence Centre, my knowledge and fluency regarding the Palestinian dialect increased tremendously. After studying Classical Arabic for a few months two years before, I arrived knowing close to nothing. However, with the fantastic one-on-one teaching which is largely directed by what you want to learn, I have left being able to hold conversations with natives here.
The environment in the Centre is extremely friendly, you meet many Palestinian children, teachers and international volunteers and students. I know that I have made life-long friends here and I plan to return as soon as possible!
The centre also provides excursions around Hebron, such as to the Fawwar refugee camp, glass factories and the centre of commerce. These experiences were some of my most valuable and to visit the refugee camp was incredibly eye-opening and moving.
Hebron itself is a city filled with culture and tradition. Although conservative at times, I would highly recommend staying here as oppose to other, more Western Palestinian cities as here you can truly witness and experience Palestine in its most original form.
Staying with a host family was an amazing experience. They have greeted us with open arms from the start, ensuring our comfort and helping us practice our Arabic. It is also a great opportunity to experience Palestinian home-cooking which is as authentic and delicious as I had imagined. Not only will you be able to eat with your host family for dinner, there are many restaurants and cafes where you can buy a variety of food: including falafel, maqloubeh, kebab and Shawerma, for very low prices.
During the weekends, the friends that I had made here and myself would visit different cities in Israel and Palestine. My favourites would be the bustling, multi-cultural city of Nazareth and the beautiful Golan Heights where we were able to visit the Sea of Galilee and look over to Syria.
My overall experience in the Excellence Centre and Palestine has been fantastic, although I felt very nervous at first, after a day I realised how safe, comfortable and friendly the country and the people are. The teaching is extremely high-quality, and the opportunity to travel is a huge bonus. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is on the fence, you won’t regret it!

My name is Lizzie and I am from England. At home I work with children- supporting a child with Down’s Syndrome in a primary school and teaching dance. I have been in Palestine for 1 month on the volunteer programme. Though I have never taught English before, and crossing the language barrier has been challenging at times, I have been able to use my experience of teaching other disciplines.

Whilst working at the Excellence Centre, I have taught and assisted with different classes. In the mornings, for my first two weeks was the summer camp. This was a mixed ability group of teenage students. I was assisting another volunteer, who had started the camp before I arrived. I enjoyed working in a team and it was interesting to see how the students engaged in the tasks they were given, a lot of which was based around self-identity. This gave me an insight into Palestinian culture and way that these students viewed their life.

In the afternoons I worked with Palestinian english teacher Ibrahim on the starter course. He would spend the first hour of the lesson teaching the subject, then in the second hour I would use games and conversation to encourage students to use the concepts and vocabulary that they had just learnt. I found that depending on the students, even if I had the same activity planned, it could go completely differently and I may end up doing a different activity. I really enjoyed working with Ibrahim, I had freedom to engage with the students, and I liked the challenge of communicating with them when they had limited english.

I also spent three mornings teaching in Kharass, a village just outside of Hebron. Each day consisted of two 2 hour lessons with young children, age 5-9. They had very limited English and there was a lot of focus on writing and learning simple vocabulary. There were some volunteers from the village who spoke English who were there to help up. After the first day I knew what to expect and quite enjoyed my time in Kharass, but 2 hours is much too long for children of this age to stay focused. I found that it was important to use a lot of repetition to help the children remember the vocabulary, and it was important to encourage them to speak individually as well in a chorus with the whole group. As much as I enjoyed working in Kharass, the organisation and resources were somewhat limited, and I feel that it would be a more successful programme if there was a set scheme of work so that international volunteers and volunteers from Kharass all knew what they should be teaching, and work together to teach it.

I enjoyed my Arabic lessons whilst at the excellence centre and have learnt some Arabic. I have previously studied languages, find grammar really interesting, therefore steered my lessons so that there was a focus on that. Though I enjoyed this, at times I felt it may have been beneficial to have shared a lesson with another volunteer so that I could develop my conversation skills. This being said, I feel that I have a good base so that if I decide to continue my Arabic studies when I return home, it will be a successful endeavour.

The environment at the Excellence Centre was friendly and welcoming. All the staff would engage in conversations and answer any questions that I had, and the other internationals were supportive and friendly. The students in the classes were, on the whole, very receptive to being taught by a native English speaker, and many of them would speak to me out of lessons, either wanting to know more about me and my country, or to practice what they had learnt in their lesson. I found this work ethic and intrigue from them very satisfying.

The Centre organised group excursions within the local area, and although I didn’t manage to join all of them, I did visit Al Fawwar refugee camp. The trip was well organised and I found it fascinating to see the contrast between my life with a host family, and life in the refugee camp. Despite the many problems that faced the people living there, they did their best to overcome and children of the family we met had gone on to study at university.

I also travelled within Palestine and Israel on my own, with friends from the Excellence Centre and with my host family. I made two trips to Bethlehem, the first with two of my host sisters and the second with other internationals. Both times I visited the church of the nativity, the Banksy hotel and the wall. I went with another volunteer to visit the Koffiyeh factory in Hebron. Just a short walk from the Excellence Centre, is this non-descript building that houses the last remaining Koffiyeh factory. Inside are the original machines weaving away a spectacular variety of the traditionally Palestinian scarf, and a shop where you can buy your own, along with other locally produced products.

I have visited Jerusalem twice during my stay here, and I love the city. There is so much to see, and each time I leave I want to go back and spend more time there. The Old City is beautiful and seeing the proximity of the different quarters- Armenian, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, it a contrast to the separatist narrative that is seen within the West Bank and the rest of Israel. I also visited the Israel museum in West Jerusalem. This museum, among many art and historical exhibits, is home to the Dead Sea Scrolls- ancient Jewish manuscripts found by a Bedouin in a cave at Qumran. As well as the scripts themselves, the building that they are housed in, specially designed for the purpose, makes an impressive exhibition. Other places I have visited are Masada- an old settlement built by King Herod atop a mountain in the desert, Ein Gedi- a natural Oasis in the desert and the Dead Sea.

During my time here I lived with a host family, in the next town Halhul. My host family, rather than a typical family was a group of 7 siblings who lived together, without their mother and father. They were very welcoming and I enjoyed staying with them. One of the main differences I found was the fluidity of time, there were no set meal times- on my first day, having eaten lunch at around 5 o’clock, I was getting ready to go to bed at around 10:00 when they started to prepare dinner! I also found that as they didn’t have to get up for work or school in the mornings, they would stay up late at night, then sleep till midday. Though I couldn’t join them on this schedule when I was working, over Eid I did. The emphasis that Palestinian culture places on family is very different from that in England. As well as families being much larger, they spend much more time together, and live closer together. (Though saying that, growing up, all my grandparents, one of my mum’s cousins, and my uncle’s family all lived on the same road!) Even though often, I had no idea what anyone was saying, it was nice to spend time with the extended family and watch the interactions between them.

During my last week here, it was Eid Al-Addah. This, as I was told, is the more important of the two Eids, and warrants a 6 day national holiday. The first day people fast, and I was lucky enough to have to the opportunity to join my family as they broke the fast. The whole family- grandparents and many cousins- joined together in the garden, as plates and plates of food were brought out of one of the kitchens. We sat together on the floor like a big picnic and shared traditional Palestinian food together. On the second day of Eid, again, most of the celebrations took place in the evening. During the day, there was some visits from other family members, but not as much as I had been lead to believe. This was the day that the animals would be killed. Each family bought an animal- sheep, goat, cow- and had it slaughtered, then the meat was split into thirds. One third to keep for their family, one third to give to wider family and friends, and one third to give to the poor. It was amazing to see the amount of meat stacked on the kitchen table at the grandma’s house, and watch the family sort it. For the rest of Eid, mainly it was relaxing and socialising with the family.

During my time in Palestine I never felt unsafe. There were unfamiliar situations, like seeing soldiers with guns in the street in the Israeli areas, or when 2 soldiers boarded the bus at a checkpoint when I travelled to Jerusalem, however I still felt safe. The people in Palestine were so welcoming, walking through the Old City in Hebron, shopkeepers would talk to you and invite you for coffee, an odd concept when in England we are taught that nothing is free- there is always a catch! This was not the case, people are genuinely friendly and want to welcome you to their country. As you walk down the main street people will say “welcome” to you as you pass.

Overall, my lasting impression of Palestine, and Hebron in particular, is a positive one. The people, the food and the landscape are all beautiful.

My name is Dom and I am a student from the UK. I have just finished my History degree at the University of Bristol. I have been volunteering at the Excellence Center as an English teacher in Hebron for a month and I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Palestine.

During the volunteer program I participated in, I have primarily engaged in teaching beginner English classes to beginner and intermediate groups of Palestinian students. In this regard, I have acted both as a teaching assistant at the Excellence Center, which is located in the heart of Hebron, and in a more central role with another volunteer in a village 20 minutes outside of Hebron. Whilst I had no previous experience in teaching, let along teaching to non-native English speakers, the students’ willingness to engage in lessons and the available teaching resources made these classes extremely easy to get into the swing of.

In addition, I also had the opportunity to teach private Arabic lessons in a 1-on-1 situation. These private lessons were particularly fulfilling as I directly could pass on my skills and knowledge to a student in who actually planned to travel to the UK, therefore feeling like I could use this intimate environment to really make a difference to this student’s life.

Moreover, the positive atmosphere and structural network of support at the Excellence Center made my experience even smoother as the staff were always welcoming and on hand to answer any question or help me in any way they could (especially Ibrahiem!)

For learning Arabic, the private lessons were extremely helpful. Although I had no prior knowledge of the language, my teacher, Marwa, taught me a fair bit of Arabic in the small amount of time I spent in Hebron. Women certainly have an easier time learning the language as they live with host families and thus have full language / cultural immersion, whilst men live together at an apartment that is perfectly located in the centre of Hebron.

The volunteer program also gave me the opportunity to travel extensively to places such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Tel Aviv. With regards to safety in Hebron, I felt totally safe throughout my stay in Hebron and I cannot recommend coming to visit Hebron enough, either as a tourist or as a volunteer.

What I liked most in Palestine was the friendliness and hospitality of the people in Hebron. The locals make every effort to make you feel very welcome and comfortable in an alien and sometimes confusing culture / place. I certainly believe that this a place I will visit again and I cannot stress enough, that if you are slightly interested in visiting the Middle East or Palestine, you should definitely consider the Excellence Center.

I didn't have any expectations coming into this experience. I had decided to come to Palestine largely because I was already going to be in this region, and wanted to the chance to personally understand the conflict here. So, I researched how to volunteer in Palestine on the internet and came across the Excellence Center. I then applied to teach an introduction journalism workshop out of the center, under the banner of their new journalism program.

Since Rafat, the online coordinator , isn't in Hebron (plot twist, he lives full time in Germany!), the specifics of my program and what I would be doing weren't coordinated until I arrived. That was fine because I had almost a month here, and the workshop lasted only two weeks.

So many students showed up the first day, that I ended up teaching two classes of journalism students out of the Center. Additionally, Osama, the coordinator here set me up to teach a three day workshop class at the University for journalism school graduates.
On the website it can seem like there's some sort of program you are joining when you volunteer to teach a subject other than English. That isn't the case, you will be on your own and have complete freedom and responsibility to design curriculum and teach whatever program you propose. The way the website is organized is more a way for them to encourage people to come teach those things, than an explanation of programs already happening. I was given a lot of freedom to organize my classes, which I appreciated.

Throughout both classes I had the assistance of a wonderful woman, Tasneem, who helped me translate my lessons. This was very important because the level of English in my students was all over the place, and without her help I wouldn't have been able to make sure everyone understood.

I feel happy about both experiences and appreciated the opportunity to interact with students. I was very happy about the opportunity to teach at the University. However, I learned that my students were paying quite a bit (100 shekels) for the class at the University, which was weird since my assistant and I were both volunteers. My journalism class was supposed to be free but I think they were charged 15 shekels, supposedly for the certificate they received. During the summer kids also pay for English classes at the center, just fyi.

An important thing to know is that there are two Excellence center locations. The Old Center, where they run special programs and young children's English classes, and the New Center where they run English classes for older students. I operated exclusively out of the Old Center. The Old Center is smaller and very cozy, and I preferred to be here than the New Center. But, the majority of volunteers and students are in the New center. Because of that my experience was less organized than some other volunteers. I didn't have a set Arabic class time and so didn't get as many Arabic lessons as I should have, and often missed participating in the excursions and events that are advertised as part of the program by the Center, since they run out of the New Center.
But, when I did have Arabic lessons, they were with a private teacher which was great because I could get more out of them. Sometimes I just went over to the New Center and hopped on an Arabic lesson. Also even though it was more difficult to know when things were going on because I was in the Old Center, Osama and the staff in the Old Center were very helpful, and if I wanted to organize something, like a tour, all I had to do was ask. It is totally possible to take more advantage of these opportunities than I did. Just know that if you are in the Old Center you will have to make more of an effort to meet other volunteers and make sure you get included in outings. The centers are very close together and it's possible to walk over there during a break and check out what's going on.

On a social level, the experience is amazing. When I arrived, I was greeted very warmly by the staff at the center, and promptly picked up by an amazing host family. Palestinian hospitality truly has no bounds. I was immediately made to feel like part of their family. I was taken to family events almost every day, and really got the sense of the importance of family in Palestinian life. My host family's house was truly a shock. It was by all accounts a mansion, and I had my own room with an ensuite. Our house overlooked a huge valley, and we could hear the Adhan (call to prayer) echoing from the mosques scattered around the area throughout the day. It was deeply, deeply beautiful. While Adhan is a pleasant part of all Palestinian life, my house was of course a relatively unique experience, and far far above the standards of living of many Palestinian families. But there are certainly pockets of wealth in Hebron that I wasn't aware of before arriving. Hebron is a conservative city, so it's necessary to wear long pants and shirts if possible and to dress modestly as a woman. For me this was the case even in my home, because my family had men in it. But this was an easy thing to adjust to, since I knew beforehand which clothes to bring.

Also, getting here is not hard. Half of Hebron is occupied by Israel so you can take a bus from Jerusalem central station to Hebron, and it's actually cheaper (9 shekels). It doesn't say this on the website because Palestinians can't do this, but as a foreigner you can. Look up schedules on the Egged bus company website. You'll arrive on the Israeli side and ask the soldiers how to walk to the Palestinian side, (or google map it before). There is for some people an ethical dilemma of taking occupation buses, and that is valid. I would recommend doing it at least once to get a feel for the Israeli experience of Hebron, and that side of the conflict. You'll see the sides of the city are so so different. Also as a first time visitor it will likely be easier than figuring out the Arab bus situation at Damascus gate, I was walking around for a little while looking for it

Overall, I would definitely recommend this experience, and working at the Excellence Center to anyone who is considering it. Coming here and organizing your own workshop, like I did, is a very gratifying and exciting way to give back to the center. Palestine is a beautiful place, made more beautiful by the astounding kindness of it's people. Come!! Seriously they are awesome.

Two weeks wasn’t long enough. I really enjoyed my time in Hebron and at the Excellence Center. I was very apprehensive travelling to the West Bank due to the fact of being a Muslim with a Pakistani background and with my passport full of stamps from Islamic countries. After the shenanigans at the airport (over 4 hours of waiting) the journey to the West Bank was very straightforward.
Throughout the 2 weeks I travelled to Jerusalem for Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa and Bethlehem and I felt very safe. In Hebron itself, it felt like being at home. The people are so welcoming and friendly.
At the Center the staff and students are amazing. I supported within lessons and I also taught lessons. Introduced the Countdown game to the students and this went down really well. I also had the opportunity to teach at a school in a village. I could read and write Arabic and this helped me throughout my time here.
The fellow volunteers were amazing and I have definitely made some friends for life. We (male volunteers) stayed at the apartment of Shykh Abed whom is very gentle and friendly man. The laughs and banter at the apartment were priceless.

During our free time we visited the local people, drank alot of Arabic coffee and enjoyed the food.

The visit to the Ibrahimi Mosque and to the Old City was an eye opener and very moving.
This definitely was a like changing experience and I am already planning to come again.

Hello, my name is Caroline, I am a 22 years old French Canadian and am about to finish a ten weeks stay in Hebron after graduating from a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science.
During my stay here, I have participated in the TESA program (Teach English, Learn Arabic), meaning that would teach three English classes twice a week to Beginner to Intermediate groups of Palestinians students aged from 8 to 40 years old, as well as learn Arabic in a one one class setting three hours per week.
Although three hours of thought lesson is not enough to master a difficult language such as Arabic, I was fortunate enough to be placed with a wonderful Palestinian host family for which most members spoke enough English for me to communicate with them, but who were also eager to help me develop my spoken Arabic skills. Living with a host family was then amazing to practice the local dialect, but also to fully be immersed in the culture and the daily local life. In that sense, spending the last two weeks of Ramadan here in Hebron was probably one the best part of my trip, as I got to experience the practice of fasting, iftar, sehoor, and Eid with my host family and their extended relatives. Keeping from eating and drinking during the day to the sides of my Palestinian colleagues during the day and breaking fast with my family at night was a very fulfilling experience, I have learnt so much about myself as well as the Palestinian/Muslim way of life.
My lovely time spent with my host family being said, the people I have met at the Excellence Center have also contributed to the positive look I have on my stay in Palestine. The Center’s permanent staff was more than welcoming and helpful throughout the whole time I have spent here, my students were amazing and eager not only to learn English, but also to invite me into their thoughts and lives in Palestine, and last but not least, my fellow volunteers became my closest friends. Together, and many times with the permanent teachers of the Center, we have visited multiple places in Hebron, such as the municipality, the Chamber of Commerce, the plastic factory, the old city and the Alfawar refugee camp, as well as other cities around the West Bank, my favorite being Bethlehem.

My name is Lucy, and I’m a History of Art student from the UK, living in Hebron as a volunteer English teacher for a month. As my time at the Excellence Centre draws to a close, I can reflect back on the amazing experiences I have had, as well as the friendships and understanding I have gained along the way.
Primarily, I spent my days teaching beginner English classes, both as a teaching assistant in the Excellence Centre itself, and with another volunteer in a village on the outskirts of Hebron. These classes, whilst daunting at first – never having been faced with a classful of young student with limited English before, blossomed into hours spent with young people who not only had an appetite for learning that I’ve never experienced before, but were also eager to engage in conversation about their lives and culture outside the classroom; whether when walking me to the bus back to Hebron, or giving me directions when I bumped into them in the street.
The atmosphere at the centre really gelled the experience together – the kitchen at the centre of the building was rarely empty, and the mountain of bread and hummus provided for breakfast never failed to help the volunteers recover from the late Palestinian bedtimes (complete with regular coffee breaks at 1am if you’re brave enough…).
Not only are the staff at the Excellence Centre overwhelmingly welcoming, they provide an excellent insight into Palestinian daily life, and the politics of Hebron. I attended a tour of the Old City by a teacher at the centre, and was lucky enough to not only visit the Ibrahimi mosque, but also a house of a local living in the Old City, and hear his stories about the occupation, and a true taste of what Palestinian life in Hebron involves.
Every weekend I made it my mission to travel somewhere new in Palestine; and have amassed a series of barely believable adventures from Bethlehem to the Dead Sea, and will leave the Excellence Centre with not only photographs and souvenirs, but also lifelong friendships from all over the world.
I could not have wished for a better host family to spend the month with – from being welcomed into their home as family from the first day, and taken to graduation parties and picnics, and treated like a true ‘Khalili’ (Hebronite). They made sure that the Arabic lessons I had at the centre – which provided me with the grammar and language I needed to get by in day-to-day life, was enriched by daily vocab lessons from my various host siblings – meaning that I can now talk about football, food, and cats in great detail…but not a whole lot else.
The one thing I will miss most about Hebron, other than the friends that I have made, is the attention I received on the street. Not negative attention in any way, but the locals that go out of their way to welcome internationals, and find out more about where they are from through genuine interest – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been invited into shops or homes, or given coffee on the street, by people genuinely wanting to get to know me, and help me have the best experience possible.
I would recommend the Excellence Centre to anyone who wants to see Hebron, and Palestine as a whole, from a genuine local perspective, who is willing to immerse themselves completely in another culture – and definitely anyone who is up for an adventure.